Salt Lake evening Democrat. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1885-1887, 1887-04-23
THE PRESIDENT MEANS BUSINESS.

An important and significant letter of
President Cleveland, on the subject of
retaliation, is made public. The letter
is in reply to a communication from the
American Fishery Union of Massa-
chusetts, suggesting that, in case it may
become necessary to apply to Canada the
retaliatory act passed by the late Con-
gress, the object might be fully attained,
eff the proposed retaliation was confined
to the closing of the United States mar
kets to the Canadian fish products" In
other words, the scope of retaliation sug-
gested by the Massachusetts, fishermen
is, that if American fishermen suffer any
interference with their rights on the
cOGst of Canada, the importation of
Canadian fish shall be prohibited-as if
the fishermen were the only citizens
whose rights and interests are concerned.
But the President, in his reply, takes
higher ground. The action of Canada,
he says, if it ia in violation of the
American fishing rights, and unjust
and unfriendly towards one class of
our people, constitutes a national
afront to be felt and replied to by the
whole nation. On this point he saws:
The existing controversy is one in which
two nations are the parties concerned. The
retaliation contemplated by the act of Con-
gress is to be enforced not to protect solely
any particular interest, however meritorious
or valuable, but to maintain the National
honor and thus protect all our people. In
this view violation of the American fish
cry rights and MUST or unfriendly acts
towards a portion of our citizens engaged in
this business is but an occasion for action,
and constitutes National affront which
gives birth to or may justify retaliation.
This measure once resorted to, its effec-
tiveness and value may we'll depend upon
the thoroughness and extent of its applica-
ton and IN the performance of international
duties, the enforcement Of international
rights and the protection of our citizens
Ihis Government and the people of the
United States must act as unit, all intent
upon attaining the best results of the retail
Iatlon upon basis of a maintenance of
National honor and duty.
This is very broad ground, and the
principle which the President announces
as that on which he shall base such
action as may be necessary, is easily
comprehended. He regards the issue,
not as a question of petty rivalry between
neighbors of the same trade, but as
controversy in which two nations are
the parties concerned, )" and in this spirit,
while avoiding the infiction of unneces-
sary injury upon an interest of our peo-
pie, he declares that he shall "be un-
finchingly guided by sense of what the
self-respect and dignity of the Nation de-
mand."
The President clearly means that pro-
hibition of fish imports alone would not
be sufficient execution of the retalia-
ton act, but that the full scope of re-
taiation allowed by the act should, and
if once resorted to, shall be applied,
thereby not only denying Canadian
fishermen commercial privileges in our
ports, but stopping all maratime inter
course between the two countries.
There is nothing of the "jingo" tactics
IN The residents letter but, throughout,
quiet tone of dignity and firmness,
which shows that he fully appreciates
the responsibility placed in his hands by
Congress, but is not disposed to shrink
from its exercise on any proper occasion.
He seems to have no doubt as to the JUS
tice of the position assumed by our gov
ernment in regard to the rights involved,
and no inclination to hesitate in applying
the policy of retaliation to whatever ex-
tent may be necessary for the vindication
of the national dignity.